Railway-crossing gate



Dec. 21 1926.

E. C. OLSON RAILWAY CROSSING GATE Filed April 21, '1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVEJVTDE {aim/ 4 7 flTTOE-NEX Dec. 21 1926.

E. C. OLSON RAILWAY CROSSING GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L TM Ill:

Filed April 21, 1926 flTI'ORNEX Patented 331,

tli'tii l hi) EDWIN C. OLSON, OF I'IASTIHGS, IQ'OBTH DAKOTA.

BAILWAYQRQSSING GATE.

Application filed April 21,

My invention relates to a railway crossing gate and the object is toprovide an efficient and reliable gate of said kind and which is closedand opened as desired by the en ineer or other ope 'ator on a train apreaching or leaving a crossing, thus eliminating the need of a crossingwatchman and gate operator.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one of my gate members which may be usedat each side of a crossing where the roadway is narrow or a double setmay be used where the road is wide.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of Fig. 1, look ing as from right to left inFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section about as on line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. at is an enlarged outside elevation of the counterweight mechanismabout as on line 44 in Fig. 3 and which is operated first by the movingtrain and starts the downward swing of the gate arm.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a railway and road crossing and two ofmy co-operatin road closin ates in oaerativeosib h t" tion at one sideof the railway only.

Fig. 6 is a partly diagrammatic top view of the railway crossing, asingle track railway and electrical means which may be used to operatethe gates.

My improved gate may be operated by a moving train either by suitablemechanically or by electrically operated means connected with themechanical operating parts on each standard, the said standards beingmounted in suitable numbers, two .or four, at each railway and roadcrossing and connected in pairs by means presently to be described andwhich operate all gates simultaneously. I will first fully describe themeans I employ on one standard and its connection with the standard onthe opposite side of the road. The gate tilting means of all standardsare counterparts and a train approaching the crossing will operate thegate lowering means of one only and said lowering means being connectedto the opposite standard will cause both arms of each pair of standardsto be lowered simultaneously.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, I have shown a gradecrossing of a single track railway 1, a road 2 crossing the railwaytrack and the usual crossing planks 3 (see Figs. 5 and 6).

On one side of track 1 and at opposite 1926- Serial No. 103,665.

sides of road 2 l have shown a pair of tilting gates 1 each plvotallymounted on a shaft- 5 journaled in a rigid upright frame consisting oftwo spaced posts 6 connected by suitable bracing 7 and between which thegate 4; is normally in approximately Vertical position when not in use.In common use the part of the gate 4: above its shaft 5 is of a lengthto extend approximately half way acress road 2 and that part of the gate4 below said shaft 5 is comparatively short to clear the ground, a shaft8 connecting the latter ends, 9 is a suitable lateral extension at thelower end of eachpost 6. 10 is a crank shaft mounted in and having itscrank 10 between the members 9, said shaft 10 extending outwardly fromthe side of one member 9 where it carries a pinion 11 mesh-- ing withanother (idler) pinion 12 rotatably mounted on a stub shaft 13 fixed on.the frame 9 (see Figs. 1 and 3). When the gate 4c is up crank 10 isdirected toward the road 2 and above a horizontal dead-line, be-

inglimited in upward movement by a stop 1 on either frame 9 and heldthus further by a suitable tension element such as coil springs 15connecting said crank with shaft 8 on the lower end of gate 4: and thusyieldingly holding the gate in upright position. Furthermore the gate islocked in the upright position byproviding a groove 12 in the hub ofpinion 12 (Fig. 3)said groove being engaged by a downwardly directedtooth 16 of a rocker arm 16 pivoted at 17 on the near side of frame 9 1)and its arm extending rearwardly in parallel relation to the side offrame 9 and post 6. 18 is asuitable compression spring adapted to pressthe arm 16 downwardly. 19 is a cam on shaft 5 which is adapted to raisethe arm 16 to disengage tooth 16 when shaft 5 is rotated to lower thegate by means presently to be described. 7

The following description of the gate tilting and raising mechanism atthe base of each standard and its connection to the op posite standardand gate refers particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the standard tothe right in Fig. 5. Adjacent cam 19 I mount a double sheave 20-21,rotatable on shaft 5. 22 is a toothed sector formed on the rim of a disc23 formed integral with said sheave 20-21 and outwardly thereof saiddisc having a radailly extended arm 23 at the outer end of which isfixed a suitable weight 2 When the gate 4 is up the toothed segment isapproximately vertically above shaft 5 and the weight arm 28 extendsrearwardly, away from the road2 (see right hand standard in Fig. 5) andrests in the rear and downwardly directed terminus pin 28 of an archedframe 27 which frame functions as a secondary weight arm also rotatableon shaft 5. 25 is a sheave mounted on the base frame 6 9 below sheave21, both said sheaves being connected by an endless cable 26. Thecentral part of frame 27 comprises also a disc 27 rotatably mounted onshaft 5 and close to the toothed segment and weight arm member. Saiddisc 27 has radial, circumferentially arranged gaps or openings) 21 atits rim. When weight arm 23 is thrown upwardly by certain means to bedescribed the arm 23 strikes a pin 28 in the upper part of frame 25after which continued swing of said arm will carry frame 27 along withit in a circular movement, as toward the left in Fig. 4. This of courserotates disc 2'7 together wit-h frame 27 until shoulders S in the gaps27 simultaneously meet and engage similar shoulders S of inwardlyextending radial lugs 30 of an end plate 30 keyed on shaft 5 at itsouter end. At the instant arm 23 strikes pin 28 of frame 27 the toothedpart 22 of disc 23 comes into contact and meshes with pinion 12. Thismay retard the momentum of weight 24: re ducing the impact of ,the teethand-pinion 12, but the. fran'ie 27 at this time has also gained momentumand continues turning until its shoulders S meet the shoulders S as justdescribed. In the meantime the initial movement of the weight arm causescam 19 to lift up the cam arm 16 and the tooth 16 of the latter isreleased from its pinion locking position. Thus pinion 12 is then freeto rotate when the teeth 22 of disc 28 come into meshing position andthe pinion (12)-then acts as an idler causing rotation of gear 11, thelatter on crank shaft 10 causing the crank 10 to rotate downwardly andrearwardly and relaxing the tension in springs 15. This leaves the lowerend of gate 4 free and permits lowering of the gate to about horizontalposition as shown dotted in Fig. 5. The toothed sector 22 is just longenough to cause proper rotation of crank 10 about 180 degrees and thenthe teeth of sector 22 are again free from meshing contact with thepinion as the weight arm 23 continues to swing and stops on the oppositeside of shaft 5 about as indicated in dotted position 23 in 5 andresting on pin 28 of frame 27. The arched frame 27 is of course designedto be of such. size that lever arm 23 moves the frame only enough sothat arm 23 comes to position 23 when gate iis lowered to the horizontalposition 4 the weight 24 aiding to keep the gate in lowered position. To

raise the gate again by mechanical or electrical means, said means causethe sheave 25 to ca rotated in the opposite direction of initialmovement, as arrow 33 in Fig. 1, the teeth again engaging pinion 12 frombelow and the pinion 11 causes crank 10 to rotate back to its originalposition, stretch ing the springs The latter action on the springs pullsthe lower end of the gate downwardly thus helping to raise the long endof the gate. The gate is raised positivey, however, n'iainly by theaction of the we' it arm swinging back to its original position (asarrow 34 in Fig. 5) the arm striking pin 28 of the frame 27 and the latter imparting movement to the end plate 30 on shaft its the weight 24:passes a point vertically above shaft 5 its weight and momentum causesit to swing back to its original position and during this latter swingthe shaft 5 is rotated and the gate raised thereby.

For each pair of gates only one sheave 25 is needed, the one on theright in Fig. 5 corres 'ionding to thesheave 25 in Fig. 1. It is obviousthat only a certain amount of rotation of sheave is necessary throughcable 26, the sheave 25 causing rotation of the sheave Sheave 21 isintegral with 20 and has an endl cs cable 35 wound on it and extendingupwardly along post 6 with two bights 35 and running over two sheaves 36at the top of the standard. The cable 35 is run across the space betweeneach pair of standards at an elevation great enough to clear allvehicles. It will be readily seen that to close the in Fig. 1 (same asright hand gate in Fig. sheave 25 must be rotated in direction of arrow33, as described. This causes sheave 20 to pull downwardly on bight 35of the right hand standard and upwardly on bight 35 of the left handstandard, the latter bight rotating sheave 20 on the latter standard tocause weight 2% and its shaft 5 to rotate inwardly in direction of arrow3. and close the left hand Raising of both gates is of course just thereverse action the sheave 25 being rotated then in direction of arrow(Fig. 1) pulling dorn on bight 35 of the right hand mast and upwardly onbight 35 of the left hand mast or standard (Fig.

It is obvious that the initial rotation of sheave 25 in. eitherdirection 33 or 33- may be satisfactorily accomplished by mechanicalmeans mounted on or between the track rails and operated by con r" meal5 on a moving train ap 'iroachang or moving away from the crossing. Suchmechanical means on railway tracks are permissible in some inst-ancesbut on all railroads reliable electr :al means on the track are pre redand therefore T have illustrated in i 5 an (lOIltl'iC x -11 p fl 1.-.-]vdei me which n nl accomp is 1 1e desire. i e

lid

salt. It is realized that this operating means cannot be claimed broadlyor in detail except as a necessary co-operating element, the mainfeatures of my device being wholly mechanical in nature and embodied inthe construction described.

In Fig. 6 40, 40 40 and lO are wire brushes fixed on the ties parallelto the rails, in pairs, and at predetermined distances from thecrossing. For a clear understand ing of the track device and itsoperative con-- nection with the gate mechanisms let it be assumed thata train is moving on the track as from right to left in Fi s. 5 and 6.

and 50 are respectively right and left contacts on a locomotive andadapted to contact with the brushes 40 40 40 and 40 51 is a battery onthe locomotive, 52 is a switch connecting battery 51 and contacts 50,said switch manipulated between the two contacts 58 and 53 bymoven'ientof the engine reverse lever (not shown). When the engineapproaches the croising (forwardly) circuit contact 50 meets brush a0completing circuit from battery 51 through switch 52, contact 53 andwire 541; to a magnetic coil 55 the core bar 55 of which is pulled andoscillates a two-arm switch 56-565 from non-conductive position (in Fig.6) to two contacts 57-57 completing circuit through wires 58 and 58 to amotor 59, in a suitable housing 59 the shaft 59 of said motor carrying asheave 60 (Fig. 5) connected as with cable 61 to sheave 25 to causerotation of the latter in direction of arrow 33 (Fig. 1). The saidlatter rotation is limited by a double cam 62 on shaft 5, said camhaving two arms 62 and 62 As the motor is running gate 4 is lowered andcam arm 62 will move to contact with a secondary arm 56 of member 56 andswings arms 56 and 56 back to neutral position, the motor is stopped,and the lowering operation of the gate is completed. Assuming that thetrain continues to move past the crossing, the gates remain lowereduntil contact 5O meets brush ":0 when current goes through the wires tocoils 55 of the magnetic coil 55 causing the latter to throw thetwo-armed switch from neutral to contact with points 57 and 57 with itsarms 56 and 56 respectively. Thus circuit is completed through wires 58and 58 to the motor which is rotated in opposite direction from thatjust described, the sheaves 60 and 25 turned in direction indicated byarrow 3* (in Fig. 1). This of course causes raising of the gates, untilswitch arm 62 strikes arm 56 and throws the two-armswitch back toneutral. This completes operation of the gates by a train approachingand passing acrossing. v

If av train should stop between two sets of brushes 40 the gates remainclosed. Then if the train should back up the engineer throws the reverselever -(not shown) causing switch 52 to be thrown over to contact 53 andcurrent goes through wire (i i to left side shoes 50 which engages brush10 as the engine moves backward, current going through wire 65 and 63and causes same operation as above described for raising the gates. Thisconstruction will be readily seento take care of any desiredmanipulation of the gates according to the movement of a train. A trainmoving as from left to right, in Fig. 6, causes operation of the gatesthrough brushes 20 and 40 and the means described.

66 is a battery grounded on the negative side to the rails, the positiveside connected through wire 67 with a switch 68 connected through coil55 and the wires described with all the brushes 40. When switch 68 is inthe position shown in Fig. 6 there is live current to all brushes 40,circuit being completed through either switch points 53 and 53 switch52, and grounded at69 on engine, in which case no battery 51 isnecessary. When battery 51 is used switch 68 should be thrown to contact7 O and thus eliminate any possibility of moving the gates by any shortcircuit between the rails and the brushes. Danger of injury to trackworkers, children, cattle, etc, which may be on the track is alsoobviated in the latter form with the battery on the engine.

What I claim is:

1. A crossing gate for railway and road crossings, comprising a rigidupright frame,

a gate arm mounted pivotally therein on a main shaft and normally inupright position, said gate comprising a long arm above said main shaftand a short arm below it, a crank shaft in said main frame in spacedrelation to said short arm and tension means connecting said crank andthe lower arm and normally under tension to retain the gate arm inupright position, a primary weight arm rotatably mounted on said mainshaft, a toothed segment and a sheave fixed on said primary weight armand said arm normally resting about horizontal and directed away fromsaid crank shaft when the gate is up, a secondary weight arm looselypivoted on the main shaft and having circularly spaced clutch jaws, adisc fixed on the main shaft and having like clutch jaws, a secondaryshaft mounted in the frame intermediate of the main shaft and the crankshaft, a pair of meshing gears mounted one on the crank shaft and theother on the intermediate shaft, means on the railway track operativelyconnected with said sheave and adapted to receive movement by a movingtrain to swing the primary weight arm upwardly and bring its toothedsegment into mesh with the gear on the intermediate shaft and causerotation of the crank shaft with its crank swung toward the lower gatearm to release the tension means; said secondary weight arm adapted tobe engaged during the swinging movementof the primary weight arm andmoved thereby to bring the clutch jaws into contact and oscillate thesaid disc, the latter oscillating in a direction to swing the gate armdown to horizontal read-closing position; the weight arms adapted tocontinue swinging until the prin'iary weight arm is directedapproximately in diametrically opposite position from its originalposition and its toothed segment out of contact with the gear on theintern'iediate shaft; and means on the railway track operativelyconnected with the sheave to cause reverse movement of the weight arms,th gears, the fixed disc and the crank .to raise the gate arm andrestore tension between the crankshaft and the lower end of the gate.

2. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said tension elementbetween the crank and the lower gate arm comprises a number of tensioncoil springs; means for holding the said crank in a direction away fromthe lower gate end when the gate is in upright position, comprising alocking arm pivoted to the frame adjacent said pair of gears a finger onsaid arm and one of said gears having a notch in its hub adapted to beengaged by said finger, said arm extending past the sheave, a cam fixedon said sheave and adapted to move said arm upwardly to release thefinger when the primary weight arm is moved.

3. The structure specified in claim 1 in which said crossing gates aremounted one ateach side of a road and in parallel relation to therailway track, means operatively connecting the sheaves of said gatedevices for simultaneous operation of both gate arms, said latter meanscomprising a cable element fixed to both sheaves and extended upwardlyfrom them to the top parts of the fixed upright frames, sheavesrotatably fixed at said top parts and the cable element connecting saidlatter cable sheaves and eX- tended across the roadway in elevatedhorizontal position.

41-. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said secondary weightarin comprises a segmental frame with radial end members and having asegmental slot in which the primary weight arm is oscillable and adapt--ed to engage either of said end members, according to direction of itsmovement, to enand move the secondary weight arm after havin receivedinitial movement.

5. The structure specified in claim 1, in which said secondary weightarm comprises a segmental frame with radial end members and having asegmental slot in which the primary weight arm is oscillable and adaptedto engage either of said end members according to direction of itsmovement, said primary weight arm adapted to impart movement to thesecondary weight arm after contact; with one of the end members thereof,and said clutch jaws of the secondary weight arm being in predeterminedspaced relation to the jaws of the fixed disc to subsequently engage thelatter jaws after the secondary weight arm has been impelled by theprimary weight arm, to rotate said disc and swing the gate to horizontalposition, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWIN C. OLSON.

